How to Read a Cricket Scorecard — Beginner's Complete Guide
Confused by a cricket scorecard? Learn what every column means — R, B, 4s, 6s, SR, O, M, R, W, Econ — with a real worked example from a recent Test match.
A cricket scorecard is a table that records every batsman's and bowler's performance in an innings. At first glance it looks complex — rows of numbers and unfamiliar abbreviations — but it follows a consistent structure. Once you know what each column means, you can read any scorecard and understand exactly what happened in a match.
The batting scorecard
The batting scorecard lists each batsman in the order they came to the crease, with columns showing how they scored. A batsman's row might look like: J. Root — c Carey b Starc — 45 — 78 — 5 — 1 — 57.7
| Column | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Name | — | The batsman's name |
| How out | c X b Y / b Y / lbw b Y / run out / not out | Method of dismissal. 'c Carey b Starc' = caught by Carey, bowled by Starc |
| Runs | R | Runs scored in this innings |
| Balls faced | B | Number of legal balls faced |
| Fours | 4s | Number of boundaries hit (4 runs each) |
| Sixes | 6s | Number of sixes hit |
| Strike rate | SR | Runs per 100 balls: (R÷B)×100 |
Reading a batting row — worked example
Batting row: J. Root — c Carey b Starc — 45 — 78 — 5 — 1 — 57.7
This means: Joe Root was dismissed caught by Carey off Starc's bowling. He scored 45 runs from 78 balls. He hit 5 fours and 1 six. His strike rate was 57.7 (slower than average for Tests but steady). The not-out symbol (*) is added to the run total if the batsman was not dismissed (e.g. Root 45*).
The batting extras row
Below the batsmen, there is an 'Extras' row: e.g. Extras: 18 (b 4, lb 6, w 5, nb 3). This breaks down: b=byes (went past keeper), lb=leg byes (hit the batsman's leg pads), w=wides, nb=no-balls. The total runs column adds these extras to the batting total.
The bowling scorecard
The bowling scorecard appears below or beside the batting scorecard and shows each bowler's performance for the same innings.
| Column | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Name | — | The bowler's name |
| Overs | O | Total overs bowled (e.g. 15.3 = 15 complete overs + 3 balls) |
| Maidens | M | Overs in which no runs were scored off the bat |
| Runs conceded | R | Total runs scored off this bowler (including extras off their bowling) |
| Wickets | W | Number of wickets taken |
| Economy rate | Econ | Runs per over: R÷O. Lower is better for the bowler |
| Average | Avg | Runs conceded per wicket: R÷W (in career stats, not usually per-innings) |
Reading a bowling row — worked example
Bowling row: M. Starc — 18 — 2 — 72 — 4 — 4.00
This means: Mitchell Starc bowled 18 overs. 2 were maiden overs (no runs). He conceded 72 runs total. He took 4 wickets. His economy rate was 4.00 — very good in Test cricket. If he also got a 5th wicket to complete a five-for, the scorecard notes 5/72 in his figures.
Total and fall of wickets
Below the batting, the scorecard shows: 'Total: 287 all out (91.3 overs)' — the team's total runs, whether they were all out, and how many overs were bowled. Below that, 'Fall of Wickets' lists each wicket in order: '1-32 (Root, 12.4)' means the first wicket fell when the total was 32, Root was the batsman dismissed, and it happened on the 4th ball of the 13th over.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'c Carey b Starc' mean on a cricket scorecard?
'c Carey b Starc' means the batsman was dismissed 'caught by Carey, bowled by Starc.' In cricket, 'b' after the fielder name means 'bowled' — but in the context of a caught dismissal, 'b' means 'bowled/credited to.' The bowler gets the wicket; the fielder (Carey) took the catch.
What is 'SR' on a cricket scorecard?
SR is Strike Rate — runs scored per 100 balls faced. Formula: (runs ÷ balls) × 100. A T20 strike rate of 150 means the batsman scored at 1.5 runs per ball. In Test cricket, a strike rate of 50–70 is respectable; in T20 cricket, anything below 120 is considered slow.
What does 'b 4, lb 6, w 5, nb 3' mean in extras?
These are the four types of extras: b=byes (ball goes past keeper without touching bat or body), lb=leg byes (ball hits the batsman's body pads and they run), w=wides (ball called too wide to hit), nb=no-balls (illegal deliveries). All count as runs for the batting team but are not credited to any individual batsman.
What does 'Econ' mean in a bowling scorecard?
Econ (Economy Rate) is the average number of runs a bowler concedes per over. Formula: total runs ÷ total overs. In Test cricket, an economy rate below 3.0 is excellent; in T20 cricket, below 7.0 is good. The lower the economy rate, the more effectively the bowler controlled scoring.